"The OECD report highlights Montréal's strengths, while pointing out weaknesses in the productivity of its economy and innovation system. The proposed plan of action, which seems to want to transform Montréal into Boston or San Francisco, does not seem to take into account the significant inequalities and land pressures that characterize these high-GDP cities. Also, it does not seem to take full account of certain institutional realities unique to Montreal and Quebec. The fact remains that a certain decompartmentalization of economic silos and a revitalization of its SMEs, without causing major transformations, would not hurt the Montréal economy." —Richard Shearmur, Professor, School of Urban Planning, McGill University

Over the last few years, Professor Shearmur has been conducting research on where innovation takes place, how firms interact with their local and more distant environments in order to innovate, and what consequences firm-level innovation has on the local economy.